triathlon_raceday_Triathlon_Bike

Be careful and aware of road surfaces. You could be on or off-road and find potholes, loose gravel and such.

Let bikers know when you plan to pass them.

Pass on the outside.

Drink some of your water throughout the course. This is a great time to rehydrate.

Actively relax your shoulders and use your core muscles to propel yourself forward. Relax your jaw. Try not to put a death-grip on your handlebars. Let the blood flow though your hands.

If you’ve taken time to look at the course before the race (either online or in person) you’ll have a better idea of what to expect on the actual day! There are a trillion different strategies for every ride. Decide which strategy works best for you and stick with it!

One basic strategy is to try and stay as aerodynamic as possible. Keep your elbows, and knees tucked in and your head down — but still looking at the road. If you are sitting tall with your head in the sky and your arms and legs bowed out, you’ll act like a sail and catch all of the wind. It will slow you down. If you can really get tucked in while descending a hill you can really enjoy some speed without having to to do any work!

Do not draft or you will be disqualified or penalized. Drafting is when you ride too close to the person in front of you and you gain an advantage from them breaking the wind (not to be confused with breaking wind). It is dangerous and against the rules for this type of competition.

When you are approaching the end of the bike course, there should be an official waving at you to slow down and prepare to dismount. Follow the instructions and remember that you can never be riding the bike within the transition area at any time.

If you are wearing clip-in cycling shoes, start taking your feet out of the shoes while you are still riding the bike. (be sure to practrice this before race day to avoid a crash)